The Round Mound is Right On

Recently Auburn hired former Iowa State head football coach Gene Chizik to be the new leader of their football program. Chizik went 5-19 at Iowa State. The school passed up Buffalo head coach Turner Gill, who led a once sorry program to the MAC Championship (beating an undefeated Ball State to do so, I might add). Charles Barkley weighed in by pulling out the race card. In this instance, he is right on. There can't be any justification for hiring a coach that went 5-19 at his last job. None that would make sense to me, anyway. And Barkley went on to say that the same thing happened when he was on the search committee for a new Auburn basketball coach, and again numerous successful black coaches were passed up for a white coach that had never even been to the NCAA Tournament with another team. Something needs to be done to fix this situation down in Auburn, probably beginning with the firing of the Athletic Director.

BCS uh-oh's

The Big XII and the SEC championship games showed us why we are in desperate need for a playoff system. Oklahoma crushed Missouri and Florida handed Alabama its first loss. Why does Florida get to play in the championship game. They lost to a sub-par Ole Miss team while 'Bama lost to the #4 team in the country. Why don't you give Boise State and Utah a chance to prove their worth. Plus, the extra games will give the teams some more revenue to work with and that can never hurt.

2008 More Proof Than Ever Against BCS

The 2008 college football season has offered up more evidence than ever before that a playoff system must be implemented in the sport.

Firstly, the situation in the Big XII. Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech all finished tied for first in the Big XII South. So how do they decide who gets to play for the conference championship--and a shot at the national title? BCS ranking. So Oklahoma gets to play Missouri and Texas and Texas Tech are screwed. I won't even get into the fact that Texas beat Oklahoma, because then it brings up Tech beating Texas and Oklahoma beating Tech and heads start spinning. The Big XII, at the least, needs to come up with a better tie-breaker for their conference championship.

Then we come to the issue of the undefeated teams in the FBS. If teams are in the top division then I don't want to hear the argument that "they aren't in a major conference." Ball State, Boise State, and Utah all finished off undefeated regular seasons. None will get to play for the national championship. This is fundamentally wrong when it comes to sports. How can it be possible that a team doesn't lose a game, but doesn't win the championship of their sport? It should be played out on the field.

Another maybe overlooked aspect is the potential of dual national champions. There is the possibility that the AP Poll could crown a different champion than the BCS Championship Game winner. There is a precedent, as this occurred back in 2003. If the two teams ahead of Texas in the AP Poll--Alabama and Florida--both lose later in the season, Texas could actually be ranked #1 at the end of the year. However, they wouldn't have played in the BCS Championship. Two separate national champions...END THE BCS.

Any Teams in the Market for a Good Place Kicker?

Ouch.

Can't we all just get along...

FSU coaches await word after campus fight

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- A brawl involving Florida State football players apparently stemmed from bad blood between some of the athletes and members of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, a university investigator said Thursday.

Maj. James Russell confirmed that football players -- he wouldn't say how many -- were among at least 10 students involved in the fight Wednesday afternoon at the university student union.

"They weren't just slugging it out for no reason," Russell said. "We think there is probably some history there."

Russell said he added a second investigator to the case "to get a better picture of what happened."

Coach Bobby Bowden said Thursday he expected to hear from authorities soon.

"There's not much I can say," Bowden said. "We haven't gotten the final report yet."

Florida State players become ineligible immediately if charged with a felony. Receiver Preston Parker missed the first two games this season as part of his punishment for an arrest earlier this year on drug and weapons charges. His felony weapons charge was reduced before he could regain his eligibility.

Bowden has already suspended key team members for the past three weeks for breaking team or school rules.

Bowden said he can't talk about Wednesday's altercation or possible discipline until after he learns what action, if any, university police will take after investigating.

The veteran coach said he wasn't sure of what action he would take if the police report is made public before Saturday's homecoming game against Boston College.

"I don't know," Bowden said Thursday. "I'd have to go talk to our athletic director."

Authorities said the brawl has required a criminal investigation, it does not necessarily mean anyone will be arrested.

The Seminoles (7-2, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) began the season missing 12 players. One missed the first two games and the others three games for their roles in an academic cheating scandal some 20 months ago. Florida State imposed penalties on itself, including the suspensions and scholarships taken away from teams that had members involved. The NCAA is deciding whether it will impose additional punishment.

Bert Reed missed games against Clemson and Virginia Tech, in one instance for skipping classes, and Corey Surrency was suspended for the Georgia Tech game for a violation of team policy. Both also are receivers.

Two little-used freshmen also sat out last week's Clemson game for an unspecified violation of team rules or school policy. The most typical suspensions are for missing classes or failing random drug tests.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Caption This Pic

What is Bill Lynch saying at this moment?

Football is a privilege, not a right.

SMU suspends three for final games

DALLAS (AP) -- SMU coach June Jones suspended three starters for the final two games of the season under his "three strikes" rule.

Receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Aldrick Robinson and linebacker Justin Smart are out for the rest of the season, The Dallas Morning News reported in its online edition Wednesday.

Under Jones' "three strikes" rule, a player can pick up a strike for missing or being late to practice, team meetings and study halls, among other violations.

Jones told the newspaper the suspensions would serve notice about what it takes to build a winning program.

A call by The Associated Press to the university on Wednesday night was not immediately returned.

Robinson has 1,047 yards receiving this season and Sanders has 958, ranking them No. 4 and No. 10 in the nation. Smart is second on the Mustangs (1-9) in tackles with 74.

SEC Saturday

There's a lack of high profile games on the docket this Saturday in the college football world. #1 Alabama is playing Mississippi State, who HAS beaten them each of the past two years, but it doesn't seem likely that they'll extend that streak to three. #10 Georgia visits Auburn, and the Tigers have been talking a lot of trash coming in to the clash. Again, I don't see the ranked team falling in this one. The game of the week is #25 South Carolina at #4 Florida. While the Gamecocks have the Ol' Ball Coach, Florida has the talent. Like their fellow favored SEC teams, I don't see Florida falling here, either. So..agree, disagree? Do you see any of these games ending in upsets? Leave a comment and let me know!

You know you want it

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Tamed Lions

Penn State has gone down in a hail of tornadoes and corn as Iowa kicked a last play field goal to take out the undefeated JoePa squad. There goes their BCS title game shot. Hopefully they will be a nice fit in the Rose Bowl, even though I see USC spanking them. All of the other undefeated teams won their respective games, including close calls from Alabama and Utah. Texas Tech manhandled OKSt and showed why they are the number 2 team in the country. Don't be surprised if Alabama blows it against MSU AND Texas Tech stumbles against Oklahoma in a last play loss. You heard it here first, so call your bookies and place a bet that will cover your tuition. On a softer note, how about the BC Eagles taking Jimmy Claussen and just utterly embarrassing him. My friends and family were at the game and said that ND is one of the most overrated teams in the country. Weis should have stayed with the Patriots. Maybe his Offensive skills could have given them the perfect season.

Don't get caught...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y., Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Security officers at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., said a reported disturbance in a ladies' restroom turned out to be a couple having sex.

Police said Alicia Venneman, 29, was charged with disorderly conduct and her boyfriend, Jeramy Kemper, 31, was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest after they were caught having sex in the women's bathroom across from Section 336 of the stadium during Sunday's game between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets, The Buffalo (N.Y.) News reported Wednesday.

"This was inappropriate behavior in public," Scott Berchtold, Bills vice president of communications, said. "Our security staff reacted accordingly, and law enforcement officials were called in to handle the situation."

Orchard Park police and Erie County sheriff's deputies said 37 arrests were made before, during and after the game. Law enforcement officials said it was well above the average number of arrests made surrounding a Bills home game.

Possible Top 15 upsets this week

There are four matchups this week where top 15 teams have a chance to go down to other ranked foes. These matchups include:

(1) Alabama at (16) LSU
(9) Oklahoma State at (2) Texas Tech
(21) California at (7) USC
(11) Ohio State at (24) Northwestern

I see USC and Ohio State handling their opponents with no problem. The battles in the SEC and Big XII are the most intriguing of the group. Texas Tech is prime for the upset after their emotional win over Texas last weekend, and Oklahoma State is a great football team. Meanwhile, LSU is out to show-up Nick Saban after he left them with hard feelings when he bolted for the NFL, only to come back to the SEC to coach the Tide. I'm calling upsets in each of these games.

My predictions:

USC 35 California 17
Ohio State 31 Northwestern 10
Oklahoma State 38 Texas Tech 35
LSU 24 Alabama 17

Take those picks straight to your bookie, and you're welcome.

BCS shake-ups

Seems to me that at this point in time, a playoff scenario would benefit the undefeated teams in the top 25. Texas Tech, Penn State, and Alabama have a strangle-hold on the top 3 positions, but why are Utah and Boise State not getting any love. How about Ball State coming out of nowhere and breaking the top-20. Yes they are in a very weak conference, but going undefeated is a feat in itself. Why not give Ball State the chance to show that they can compete with the big boys. Even Boise State has proven that they can dance with the college juggernauts after their bowl win a few years ago. All I'm saying is if these three teams go undefeated, there should be some kind of playoff system.

Go IU

Beat Central Michigan